Lotto Stadio Primato Review

Unless you have personally worn a pair of Lotto Stadio Primato, you will be surprised to hear how under-rated these cleats are! I wore Lotto boots in college, but I had only used the Zhero range. The Stadio range is completely different; they hold a timeless, classic look and are made of a super soft K-leather. Everything about them screams tradition and they are worn by old-school players all across the country.

Over the past month, I have been testing a pair of size 9US, wearing them in 3-4 training sessions and 2 games – one of which was during a rain-shower. This version is listed as a Black/Black colorway.

Initial Thoughts
Lotto have stuck with a relaxed look for this version. Unlike many current releases on the market, the Stadio is very low key, black on black! I am a fan of shape, as I can already tell they are a medium fit, and this is particularly important in the mid-sole region. The K-leather feels great, and I have no doubt over time the leather will only get softer.

Breaking In
These cleats were super smooth breaking in. They fit just right, and because they are K-leather, from the first game they start to mold to the shape of your feet. I have wore these in several training sessions and also had the opportunity to wear them in two games. My initial fear with these cleats was the soleplate. They seem to feel pretty stiff starting out, but thankfully they didn’t cause any issues. Bear in mind you need to give them a session or two before they start to contour in unison with your feet. Finally, one of the games I got to wear these in it rained, and these boots stood the test. The water helped in terms of touch (aided by the fact that the upper is K-leather, rather than a synthetic) and the conical stud configuration gave plenty of stability through quick turns.

Technology
Outside of that amazingly soft kangaroo leather, these boots do have a few other key Lotto features. First is Shock Off, a shock absorbing insert made of low density polyurethane located near the heal of the boot. And the other feature is Punto-Flex, Lotto’s own technology that allows for the sole to bounce back, thus allowing your foot to flex in the right way. Another bonus about Lotto’s cleats is the fact that the upper is stitched to the sole, increasing the life span of the cleat. As a heritage release, there really isn’t any other added technology on the upper – it is more of a classic boot designed for optimal touch and control on the ball.

Size and Weight
I wear a size 9US and that’s what I had for this review. Size wise, they fit true to size and I would say medium in all respects. I have a medium to wide fit and these offered just the right shape and width to offer ultra comfort. Weight wise, the Stadio Primato weigh in at 9.6oz, which is a pretty optimal weight – especially for a heritage release. After wearing these in wet weather, they held up really well and didn’t feel any heavier.

Negatives
The only real negative I have is the tongue. It is designed in an old-school fashion, so it just flaps over. At first it was fine because the tongue is stiff. But over the past few weeks, it has softened up resulting in the tongue sitting straight up. As a result, the only real way to keep it down is to tie the laces over the tongue. Another option, which I have seen some people doing, is to place the tongue in under the actual lacing. This definitely makes for a different look!

Conclusion
Theses cleats actually outperformed my expectations! I probably would not have purchased a pair of these before testing them. I have to admit, I am surprised that Lotto have not attacked the US market more but instead they have stuck to the European market. If they were to merge into the US space, I think they could really hit a niche market with these. The Lotto Stadio Primato sit in the same category as the Adidas adiPURE and the Umbro Speciali’s, but at the current price of $89.99. they might be one of the preferred choices for anyone looking for a cleat that offers performance and durability without the fancy specs of the more advanced ranges.

If you want to find out more, head over to soccer.com, where they are currently priced at $89.99.